"Maud, ahoy!" shouted Captain Ringgold from the officer's promenade, where all the cabin party were seated.
"On board the Guardian-Mother!" returned Captain Scott.
"How goes it?" asked the commander of the ship, putting a general question which covered everything.
"All well, sir!" answered the captain of the Maud.
The sea was still too rough to permit the two vessels to come alongside each other; but it was seen from the little steamer that the Guardian-Mother was lowering the first cutter into the water, and in a few minutes that her crew were pulling to the consort, with the commander in the stern-sheets. The gangway was rigged out on the starboard quarter, for it was not a fixture as on board of larger steamers. No one was required at the helm or engine of the Maud, and all hands gathered in the standing-room to give the commander an appropriate welcome.
The only proper salute that came to the mind of Captain Scott was three cheers, which he called for, and they were given with decided enthusiasm. No one could blame the young commander of the little steamer for feeling very much exhilarated as the time came for him to make his first report of the cruise. He had brought his craft safely through a smart gale in as good condition as when she had left Gibraltar. If he was proud of the achievement, as he certainly was, he had sufficient foundation for an honest pride.
The cutter came up to the gangway on the lee side, and Captain Ringgold ascended to the deck, which was not a long journey, for the Maud sat low in the water. The ship's company stood in a group, with Captain Scott in front of them as the commander came over the rail. He went directly to the captain, who was the first to be saluted in virtue of his office, and took him by the hand.
"We did not recognize the Maud when we first made her out," said Captain Ringgold. "We never saw her under sail before; but she looked quite natural after you had furled everything."
Without waiting for any reply, the commander shook hands with Morris, Louis, and Felix, and nodded to the two engineers.
"Well, Captain Scott, I did not find you exactly where I expected to overhaul you, for you are about twenty-five miles farther along than I supposed you would be," continued the captain of the Guardian-Mother.